By the Sword

chapter Fifteen



Jalarn ran down the hall that led to his wing of the castle. It was unnerving that the Scripture intrigued him even more than magic did.

He stopped when Ittonifer and two soldiers came around the corner. He put the scroll inside a crevice of his armor.

“Jalarn,” said Ittonifer.

“We haven’t been fortunate to cross paths today, my lord.”

“Indeed. I paid a little visit to the wench you’ve been keeping.”

A knot formed in Jalarn’s stomach. How dare Ittonifer enter into his wing and meddle with his prisoner? Aterun had clearly told Ittonifer about her.

Why haven't I killed him yet?

“The prince has revealed to me that she will be a valuable asset to this empire,” said Jalarn.

“I had been notified of that long before you ever were,” said Ittonifer. “I used some, shall we say, forceful persuasion, but she has still refused to join us. That girl is too headstrong.”

Jalarn did not want to think about what his uncle could have done to Talya. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay in control.

“I will persuade her,” Jalarn insisted. “She saved my life.”

“What you must do is lead my army. You weren’t promoted to be my left-hand man so that you could waste precious time on someone that delusional.”

Jalarn bristled at the comment.

“The Sanctus army will arrive soon,” said Ittonifer.

“I will meet you in the field shortly. You have my word,” said Jalarn.

“She has to die, Jalarn.”

“No. I will speak with her. She will listen to me if—”

Ittonifer took a step toward Jalarn.

“Who do you think you are?”

Jalarn decided then that it would be better to keep his mouth shut.

“That wench has refused, after various tortures, to submit to the prince. She has had her chance, Jalarn. The prince does not want us to waste time on a rebel. You know that. Now, be quick and meet me outside.”

Jalarn bounded down the hall toward the prison. He didn’t have any time to spare now. As he obtained the keys from the prison guard, opened the prison’s creaking door, and stood before the small, barred room, he realized that it was not his curiosity about the verse that drove his urgency.

Inside, Talya lay motionless on the cold floor.

He swallowed, surprised at the range of feelings he was experiencing for the first time since his mother died.

“Talya?”

She groaned and turned her head wearily to face him. Her one eye was blackened. Blood dripped from her nose. She struggled to get up, but she winced when she put weight on her left arm.

She collapsed back to the floor and lay still.

Then he saw it. An angry red X marked Talya’s slender upper arm. It would be there for the rest of her life.

Anger surged through his veins. Ittonifer had been foolish to try and gain her allegiance through torture. Talya would never want to side with them now.

His uncle had lost his mind.





Talya’s body ached so much that she could barely move. She thought that she had seen Jalarn for a moment, but it had to be her mind playing tricks on her. The reality was that she was alone.

Alone until I die and I get to be in Jesus’ arms.

After branding her, Ittonifer had ordered the soldiers to repeatedly punch and kick her. Talya was grateful that no one she loved could see her like this. She was now a pathetic mess left to rot. There were so many things that she regretted and would never be able to fix. She used to think that she would have her whole life to make up for everything that she had done wrong. It never would have crossed her mind a week ago that she would die in a Malinorian prison.

Now more awake, Talya forced herself to sit up. She leaned against the wall. Both of her sides hurt from being kicked numerous times.

She slipped into a fitful sleep until she heard a quiet voice beside her. She opened her one good eye. Jalarn stood next to her.

Am I dreaming?

She smelled something delicious. He had set down a large bowl of stew beside her. He really had come back. There might still be a chance to reach him before the battle. Before she slipped away for good.

But I am so tired. I can barely keep my eyes open. Help me, Lord.

“Jalarn,” she whispered.

Talya hated how weak she sounded. She cleared her throat.

“Please eat, Talya,” Jalarn said.

She reached for the bowl and moaned. Jalarn went to his knees and handed it to her. She grasped the spoon he gave her and brought a spoonful of chowder to her lips. Her hunger pangs subsided as she filled her stomach with the nourishing meal.

Jalarn remained silent as she ate.

When she was finished with the stew, he handed her a tall goblet of water, and she guzzled it down, relieving her parched throat.

Talya’s mind cleared. Even the pain had lessened a little.

“Thank you, Jalarn.”

“Tell me that you have reconsidered.”

His expression was unguarded, lost. His hair was messy and even the buckles of his cape were askew.

Talya swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat.

“Of course I haven’t,” Talya sighed. “I could never turn my back on the God that saved me.”

Jalarn placed his head in his hands as he sat and leaned against the wall. Her heart broke for him. The heartless monster she used to think he was had stepped aside for a moment. This was the real Jalarn now.

“Please, tell me what’s troubling you,” she said.

“When I met you in the battle at Cardamon and then again at the outskirts of Malinor, all I wanted to do was to finish you off like every other worthless rebel. Ever since that night in Hunter Forest, I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind. It’s maddening. I’m not supposed to feel for anyone, not even for myself. And now… for reasons I cannot even imagine, just the thought of losing you is more than I can bear.”

He cares about me?

Talya could only stare at him. She almost wondered if it was a dream.

Jalarn huffed and looked up the ceiling. He had meant every word, but he was trying to stay strong.

“So, you must understand now why I cannot allow you to refuse the prince.”

“Jalarn, when you trust in my God, you don’t have to fear.”

“Who said anything about fear?”

“You did when you admitted that you couldn’t bear losing me.”

“I never said that I was afraid.”

He pulled something out from his armor. It was her scroll.

“Jalarn, have you been…”

“Reading? Yes. And I was confused about something. Why would God sacrifice His Son? I did not even know that He had a Son.”

Talya’s pulse quickened. Now was the time.

Lord, help him understand!

“God sent His Son, Jesus, down to earth so that He could die for all mankind. He was the perfect sacrifice because He knew no sin. We cannot gain our own entrance into Heaven, because we are all born as sinners, but if we believe that Jesus died for our sins and that He has risen from the dead, then we will become children of God. We can go to Heaven when we die.”

“So, after being sacrificed He rose again?”

“Yes. He did it for everyone, Jalarn. He bore all of your sins on the cross.”

“I just… it’s just that I’ve never heard of that before.”

“It’s never too late to believe,” Talya said gently.

Jalarn’s expression grew dark.

“After all that I’ve done to those that serve Him… He would only cast me away. He hates me.”

“That’s not true. You were deceived then. The Savior died for everyone from the lowliest slave to the greatest king, regardless of what they have done. He did not die for a perfect world.”

“I have done ten lifetimes worth of evil to get where I am now.”

“The first step is recognizing that you have done wrong. Jesus died for every single sin that a human could commit. Humans are born flawed. If you are sorry for everything that you have done, and ask God to forgive you, then your slate is wiped clean.”

Jalarn stared at her.

“It can’t be that simple.”

“It is.”

Jalarn helped Talya stand. She cautiously put her hand on his arm. He whipped it away.

“It’s too late for me!” he shouted.

“Don’t you see? He arranged for me to see those dreams of you so that I would spare your life and tell you about the Savior. That is how much He loves you, Jalarn. He wanted you to have a chance to know that.”

“I wish I could believe it.”

“There is no sin too great that He didn’t die for. His salvation is a gift that cannot to be earned. I was just as much of a sinner as you before I believed.”

“That’s absurd, Talya.”

“It’s the truth.”

Jalarn paced back and forth.

“Your God turned the black ink on the scroll into red for that one verse so I could see it. He wanted to get my attention.”

“That is amazing. He wants you to see how much He loves you. He wants you to love Him, too, Jalarn.”

“I will lose too much.”

“You will gain everything. You will find peace like never before. Just ask Him—”

“I can’t do it!”

Talya backed away from him as the empty glare in his eyes returned.

“No!” Talya cried.

“If you weren’t such a fool, you would be out of this cage and preparing to fight… with me. Victory is ours for the taking, but instead you are allowing yourself to become some kind of a martyr.”

His words cut through her heart like a dagger.

Lord, please!

Jalarn turned away and bolted the door shut. He turned to pick something up from off the stool just outside. It was her sword.

Talya didn’t want it.

“I want you to have this for when my uncle comes back. He expects me to finish you, but I can’t harm you. Keep it hidden until they unlock your cell. At least you can die as the warrior that you are.”

He stared at her for a moment.

“Jalarn…”

“I wish things could be different. Fight well, Talya.”

Talya took her sword from him through the bars, and he turned to leave. She couldn’t bear to see him leave now, not with him being so close so trusting in Jesus. It hurt her more than the beatings.

“Wait, Jalarn.”

But he was gone.


General Edandir awoke with a start. He was in a tent lying down on a strange bed.

When did I fall asleep? The battle!

He sat up, immediately placing a hand on his throbbing temple. There was a thick bandage on his head. He remembered the Malinorian from the night before. The general got up and stepped outside, glancing at the sky. It was nearly dawn.

“Hold it right there, General. I didn’t say that you could leave yet.”

It was Seline – the camp surgeon. He had emerged from another tent.

“I lead this army come sunup. I have to be fine.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. I was brewing you a strong pot of my famous pain-killing tea, but go back inside first, and I’ll check your wound.”

Edandir sat impatiently as the surgeon changed the bandage.

“It will heal up nicely, provided that no one else hits you in the same place,” the surgeon said with a wry grin.

Edandir shrugged.

He walked with Seline to the fire pit and poured himself a cup of the herbal tea.

“So, I take it that someone found me before that snake finished me off,” said Edandir.

“Tanel found you. He scared that Malinorian off with a well-placed arrow.”

Edandir took a sip of the bitter liquid.

“I will have to thank him. I can’t believe that I lost my footing.”

“Even generals can have close calls.”

“This one can’t afford to. I have a daughter to save.”

Tanel and Chrissa walked up to them.

“You will be fine then, General?” asked Tanel.

“I’ve always been fine. But I owe you my life, Tanel. Seline told me what you did. Thank you.”

The lad nodded and Chrissa smiled. She seemed to be in much better spirits than last night.

The sun’s first rays pierced the navy horizon. The day had begun.

Edandir guzzled down the rest of his tea and stretched. He watched the spectacular sunrise. It could very well be the last one that he would ever see. By God’s grace and power, today was the day that Ittonifer’s rule over the continent would be broken forever. Freedom would resume.

His headache had begun to numb.

“You sure know your remedies, Doc. Thanks. I’m good as new.”

“Well, not quite,” Seline muttered.

Edandir went to grab a slab of salted pork for breakfast. The soldiers and knights were already emerging out of their tents. In mere hours, they would all be in battle.

Despite his desire to take out as many enemy combatants as possible, he had to first make sure that Talya was back on the right side. His highest priority was to get her out of that cursed castle alive.


Jalarn joined Ittonifer on his balcony. They watched in silence as their army assembled.

“A marvelous sight,” said Ittonifer.

“Indeed, my lord. I shall take pleasure in finishing off those weak-minded fools from Sanctus.”

“Will you?” asked Ittonifer.

His uncle was glaring at him now.

“You kept the scroll.”

“I wanted to taunt Talya with it.”

“I don’t believe you. Aterun found it in your room early this morning – after you’d had a rather heartfelt conversation with the sword maiden. You did not kill her as I asked.”

“He was out of line to spy on me and to trespass on my private quarters. I ought to kill him.”

“As correct as that may be, you have been quite an unfaithful Malinorian yourself. I had no idea you could be so easily swayed. After everything I have done for you and given you.”

“My full allegiance is to you and to the prince!” Jalarn shouted.

Ittonifer’s mouth curved into a wicked grin.

“Prove it,” he said.

“I will!”

“Then follow me, boy.”

Jalarn decided that the old warlock would have to be eliminated after the war. He would arrange for some of his men to do the dirty work. Ittonifer put way too much faith in Aterun. The magician could not be trusted. Jalarn hated sneaky rats like him the most.

When they entered Jalarn’s wing, Aterun was there waiting for them. The magician scowled at Jalarn.

Jalarn ignored him.

The scroll was still unraveled on his bed.

Angry with Talya for her stubbornness, he had tossed it there. He hadn’t been able to bring himself to burn it just yet.

Why is that?

Ittonifer’s glare pierced into Jalarn as Aterun began to chant. Where it had seemed beautiful and deep to Jalarn before, a darkness had now been cast over it. It was different this time.

Jalarn tried to shake off the feeling and tried to see it as he had originally.

The familiar plume of fog emerged around them. This time it showed Jalarn. He was bent on the floor reading Talya’s scroll in the library.

Jalarn bristled.

Aterun was trying to ruin everything for him by twisting what had actually happened.

The image switched to Jalarn speaking with Talya back in the prison cell. It was when she had placed her hand on his arm.

Jalarn swallowed. His uncle was going to kill him. Literally, perhaps.

“How touching,” scoffed Ittonifer.

Jalarn shook his head and closed his eyes. It was too painful just to think about Talya.

But I’m not supposed to feel pain. What’s happened to me?

He had to forget about her. He had given in to emotions that he never even knew existed, but in the end, he had done the right thing. He had turned his back on her for Malinor. For the prince. He had chosen the right way. His uncle had to see that.

The image faded away, leaving Jalarn with the judgmental stares of Ittonifer and Aterun.